Mission

The International Center for Russian & East European Jewish Studies founded in Moscow in 2003. The Academic Director of the centre is professor of history Oleg Budnitskii.

The centre starts its work on the basis of the fact that the modern history and culture of the Jewish people were to a great extent formed by the Jews who either lived in Russia or Eastern Europe or originated from there. About three quarters of Jewish people resided within the territory of the Russian Empire in the middle of the XIXth century. The immigrant floods from the former tsarist Russia in the late 19th and early 20th ensured the absolute majority of Russian Jews among Jewish communities all over the world. The immigrants brought with them a richest historical and cultural heritage that had been forming for years under the influence of people of Russia and Eastern Europe. The potential of the ethno- cultural group, which had been developing in the atmosphere of mutual influence of great ancient cultures turned out to be unusually rich and versatile and the contribution of its representatives is priceless. Many famous politicians who contributed to the establishment of the independent Jewish State of Israel, public figures as well as various outstanding worldwide famous cultural sphere officials and scientists came from Russia or from Eastern Europe. That is why it is necessary to study the heritage of Russian and East European Jewry.

The Center’s Objectives

• Study the history and cultural heritage of the Russian and East European Jewry;
• Propagate knowledge of the history and culture of the Russian and East European Jews;
• Promote the revival of the national identity of the Russian Jewry, based on absorption of the Jewish cultural heritage and historical traditions with respect to realities of the contemporary world;
• Advance international collaboration in the field of East European Jewish studies.

Areas of Activity

• Based on competitive selection process, the Center awards grants to specialists who teach and do research in the field;
• The Center conducts international conferences and seminars, as well as academic readings and lectures for wide audience;
• The Center assists in publication of academic writings, acquisition and preservation of books and journals pertaining to the Russian and East European Jewry;
• The Center participates in locating, collecting and research of archival materials that illuminate the history and culture of the Russian and East European Jewry;
• The Center supports projects aimed at the study and cataloguing of archival materials, thereby providing ease of access to Russian and foreign scholars;
• The Center provides methodological guidance in development of academic programs that integrate new subject matter in the curriculum of educational institutions.

The Centers is interdisciplinary in nature, as it consolidates the efforts of leading specialists in the fields of history and culture of East European Jewry: historians, philologists, sociologists, scholars of culture, and others.

The Center performs expert assessment of proposals and supports the deserving projects in any area that pertains to the history and culture of the Russian and East European Jewry, be they in political or social history, history of literature, art, cinema or theater.

Russia, 121069, Moscow, P.O.B. 11

Phone: +7 (499) 940 6432

Fax: +7 (499) 940 6432

E-mail: info@crjs.ru

Copyright © 2004 “The International Center for Russian & East European Jewish Studies"